


Marlboro Man

by SmartBlackRose



Series: Midnight in the Garden [1]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drug Use, Explicit Drug Use, M/M, kind of conjugal abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-23 07:59:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10715412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmartBlackRose/pseuds/SmartBlackRose
Summary: When Hotch realises how far gone Reid is after Hankel, he does everything he can to save him. But will Spencer let himself be saved?





	Marlboro Man

**Author's Note:**

> Set soon after Revelations. Mentions and shows Reid's drug use, so if you're not comfortable with that, walk away now. Based on Lily Kershaw's Marlboro Man and first of the series Midnight in the Garden.

You hailed a goodbye  
You were never with me  
So pull the trigger nice and fast  
Cause the best for me hasn't happened yet

Reid leaned back on the sofa as he pulled the needle from his arm with relief. The world stopped spinning a little and then numbness wrapped him in its comforting blanket. He could have sworn he'd closed his eyes only for a second, but when he opened them everything was sharp and a shadow was standing over him.

"What the hell?", he exclaimed, pulling his knees to his chest. "What are you doing here?"  
"On a scale of one to ten, how high are you?", Aaron wondered, standing there with a stern, icy expression on his face.  
"I don't see what you're talking about", the genius denied.

Hotch huffed and sat on the coffee table, leaning forward.

"I've been patiently. Maybe too much. I hoped you would come to me."

You don't know me if you thought that, Spencer thought. You really don't.

"I was wrong. Now, let's cut the chase. How much have you taken, and when?"  
"It's none of your business. Go away. You- You don't have anything to do here."  
"I'm worried. We all are. Spencer, have you even see yourself?"

Reid stood up in a rush, knocking a glass off the table.

"Get out!", he exclaimed.  
"Spe-"  
"I don't know what you thought, Hotch, but you're not welcome here! Now get out of my house! Get out of my goddamned house!", he shouted.

The unit chief reached out to him, but Reid jerked away.

"Get out!", he repeated, patting around blindly.

His hand fell on a candlestick and he swung it without thinking. Aaron protected himself with his hand and it definitely broke at least two fingers and made a cut all over his wrist.

"Get out!"

And Hotch obeyed. He would try another time. When Spencer was calmer. The genius stumbled to bed and laid there over the cover until he fell asleep, shivering. He opened his eyes to blinding light and numerous missed calls from Hotch and JJ.

"Shit. Shit shit shit", he muttered, pulling on some pants.

He dressed in record time and drove to the BAU, not realising that things could go very, very wrong.

"What happened to your hand?", Morgan asked Hotch when he distributed the files.  
"Ah, uh, car door. I was distracted", the unit chief waved him off effortlessly.

They briefed as Reid experienced major flashbacks and then Hotch stood up.

"Okay, wheels up in thirty. Reid, you're staying back this time."  
"What? Why?", the genius protested.  
"Because you aren't cleared to do field yet."  
"But I'm cleared to fly!"  
"Dr. Reid", Hotch barked.  
"Fine!"

Spencer stormed out of the room, looking like he wanted to murder someone and he did. Which led to another situation, twelve hours later, when he hadn't come back to the office. Hotch was ready to file an MPA and the others weren't so far behind. Rossi, new to the team, had no idea what was going on, but he was trying to keep them all together.

"Aaron", he asked, after the man got through his hundreth call with Garcia.  
"What?", the older man snapped.  
"Why are you all so worried? He's a grown man, he's angry. Let him breathe!"

The unit chief wiped a hand on his face, weary to the bone and he shook his head.

"I've arranged for Garcia to get me tickets as soon as possible. I'm flying out in an hour, you'll have to take the lead."  
"Wait up. You're flying back? Why?"  
"Because- I need to find him. I can't explain now, Dave. I really wish I could. Can you take it, or not?"  
"Yes. Of course. If you need anything-"  
"Sure. I have to go."

Hotch kept calling Spencer, because he would be damned if something happened to him. He left messages, tried his home phone, but everything failed. He lost signal when on the plane, but landed with two messages, one from Penelope, and the other from Reid.

"Aaron, would you stop calling? It's annoying. I'm annoyed. With you, especially. You've. Annoyed. Me. Still are. So if you're not going to join me, I'll drink to you and see you when you get back."

Drink? Images came to Hotch's mind of a very drunk Spencer, giggling and cheeks red, grinning like mad at some stupid joke he'd said. He knew exactly where he was. He drove like mad to the small back alley in the middle of DC and pushed the door of the tavern open, heart pounding. Reid was alone, slumped on a table and turning a drink in his hands.

"Are you still annoyed or can I sit?", Hotch wondered.  
"I-", Spencer hiccuped. "Depends on why you're here."  
"I was worried. I dropped the case."  
"Really? It would have been simpler to let me come. Admit it", Reid spat.  
"You're right. But I still mad the good call, here. Reid, you need help. I can't have you in this state on the field."  
"I'm not on the field! You've expulsed me from the field! And now from my job at all! Do you think that's helping?"  
"Spencer-", Hotch said, reaching out.

The genius flinched away once more, crossing his arms.

"Don't touch me, please. You know I hate that."  
"Sorry. Listen, I- I want to help, but this is beyond what I can do. You need to help me help you get helped."  
"You don't get it, do you? What help do you want me to get? Tobias ruined my life. Gideon did, too. You want me to get help so you can finally fuck me, it's not going to happen!"

Hotch watched him and saw that he was intoxicated, but only by alcohol. He knew Spencer Reid on alcohol and while he was saying what he thought, he was lucid and could hold a conversation.

"I don't want to fuck you. It's never been about that for me."  
"I was ready. When we came back from Georgia, on our date, what do you think was supposed to happen? But not anymore. I can't. You should go. Leave me behind, Aaron."  
"No."

Reid stood up and wobbled a little before he took a step to the door.

"Then I'll be the one leaving."  
"You need to go to rehab."

Reid's anger blew again and he scowled at the older man.

"Don't you there!"  
"I've been dancing around this for some time, now. You saw it coming. We can do this two ways: anonymously or I'm having you arrested and sent there. You know I can. I will", Hotch threatened even though it was the last thing he wanted.

Reid blanched and he gaped for a moment.

"You wouldn't", he said in a clipped.  
"Yes, I would. Because I can't aside while you kill yourself."

He stood, too, because now that they were level it was hard to ignore each other, but Spencer still looked away.

"You're locking me up", he murmured.  
"No. I'm helping you. It's not forever, I swear."  
"I can't be locked up. I'll die, Aaron", the genius said, eyes filled with tears.  
"You're not locked up. You can leave whenever you want. But you have to try, Spencer, because it's- it's too much for you right now."  
"Promise me you won't leave me there. Aaron, promise me."  
"I promise. I'll visit as much as I possibly can, Spencer."

Reid pressed his fist to his mouth, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"Okay."  
"Really?"

Hotch was surprised it had been that easy, that Reid wasn't putting up a fight. The genius nodded, huffing.

"Yes. And we need to go before I change my mind."


End file.
